The three children in the above picture were inhabitants of an Internal Displaced People (IDP) camp known as Instanbul 2.
They were born there and lived all their lives until three weeks ago when fate separated them. The owners of the land where the IDP camp was located in land belonging to a prominent politician threw their lives into disarray. Their families were forcefully evicted from the only place they called home for the duration of their young lives.
They were squatters who lived in ramshackle abodes, they had no playgrounds to play or even decent latrines or toilets to go to when nature calls. To sum it up they lived in squalor conditions.
Three weeks ago the land owner of the plot they were squatting brought in bulldozers which flattened their humble existence and their miserable lives turned upside down in a blink of an eye.
Today they have gone separate ways. These three innocent lives and their families and many other internally displaced persons have had their existence turned into turmoil.
The bonds that had been blossoming over the years were broken in an instant. Neighbors who used to rely on each other for salt and sugar have no beacon of hope, as their world came crushing before their eyes.
As they stare in front of their shattered lives the future looks bleak to add salt to injury their bonds over their years stand to be broken.
These children’s minds are very innocent, but they are already worried about their future. Before the eviction from their homes in Instanbul 2 IDP camps, they had access to many local and international NGOs which used to donate their food rations and educational supplies.
Now that they are no longer residents of the IDP camps they face myriads of challenges. For instance, Water Wish NGO supplied these families with water and food rations these will be hard to come by since the IDPs will be scattered across Hargeisa city and it will be hard for the NGOs to locate them all these mentioned situations are mind-boggling to these young minds and may overwhelm them to understand at this tender ages of theirs.
Despite all these scenarios an international NGO has won over hearts and minds. Water Wish NGO every Friday visits these IDP camps to supply water and foodstuffs to the IDPs and their children. Whenever these children see the Water Wish convoy of trucks and taxis they are all smiles as they run into their abodes to inform their parents.
Water Wish tankers supply water to the IDP families on a weekly basis. The children are given sweets and chocolates to disrupt them from their misery. Some of the children have confessed that when Water Wish NGO visits it is the best day of their lives in the camp and always look forward to their next tour.
The coordinator of Water Wish NGO Mr.Hassan Ali Saeed informed SomalilandCurrent.com about the predicament of these children and their families. He requested more aid to help resettle these families. He proposed the acquisition of land if possible for resettlement of the IDP families.
His sense of urgency arises from the government’s slow response to their distress calls.
By:Guled Abdi Mahir
